English Career Resources

Key Stage 3: Managing change and transition

Lesson

Equipment needed: 5/6 dice (enough for 5/6 groups of six students)

1. Discussion

Consider the important decisions to be made about careers; a process by which to make them; and the affect of those decisions.


2. Brainstorm

Consider possible questions aiming to collect the following information or something similar:
1. Should I go to college or university?
2. Should I try for an apprenticeship?
3. Should I find the job my parents tell me to do?
4. Should I choose my favourite subject for GCSE? (identify what it is)


3. Discussion

How to choose? Use example of the 'Dice Man' by Luke Reinhart in which the central character uses roll of die to make his decisions. The attached review of Dice Man (PDF) gives a brief account of the genesis of the novel and its provocative content. Include reference to advantages/disadvantages and emphasise the following:

1. If there is no pressure to make decision, quite often there is no responsibility for the outcome,
2. Having no responsibility for the outcome could be a disadvantage and lead to disappointment

How might it work? Look at everyday choices (listed below) and experiment in groups. Each student is given a number 1 – 6. Each question is posed and in each group the dice is rolled. If their number comes up, the decision is 'yes'. After each question the student chosen should discuss any positive/negative feelings they have, which should be recorded.

• You've fancied someone for ages, should you ask them on a date?
• Should you walk to school or take the bus/car?
• Should you revise for an upcoming exam or test?
• Should you get a takeaway for lunch or eat some fruit?
• Should you buy the latest trainers or hoodie?
• Should you go to a concert or movie at the weekend or stay at home?


4. Plenary

Feelings. Is there a difference between responses to emotional, intellectual, health, fashion, leisure questions? Could they live with the outcomes?

Return to the initial questions:

1. Should I go to college or university?
2. Should I try for an apprenticeship?
3. Should I find the job my parents tell me to do?
4. Should I choose my favourite subject for GCSE? (identify what it is)

Student chooses 'odd' or 'even' number for 'yes' 'no', teacher/students in groups roll die. Check and record results.


5. Plenary

Outcomes. Are students prepared to stick or do they want to roll again to get the answer they want? Could they live with the consequence of these decisions? Is this a good way to do it?

How have other people made decisions about their future? What sort of questions would they want to ask?

Imagine you are older and looking back on your life. How do you think you might answer the following questions? Do you think they are questions that are important to you now in relation to the decisions you have to make about the future?

(Teachers could reflect on their own career development as the questionnaire develops)

1. When you were at school, did you know for certain what you wanted to do when you were 14? When you were 16? When you were 18?
2. What useful advice did you get from:
   Your parents
   Your teachers
   Your peers
   Other people
3. What training did you have for your job? (Both formal and informal)
4. What else did you have to do, to develop skills, knowledge and understanding?
5. What makes you get out of bed in the morning (in a career's sense, not social!)
6. Did you plan your future? DO you plan your future?
7. What are the unsung parts of your job? (in teaching, for example, everyone perceives it as long summer holidays and finish at 3.30 p.m. the reality is very different: planning, meetings, marking, developing schemes of work, running trips, meeting parents, exam revision classes etc.)
8. Is your success down to luck or to planning or a bit of both?
9. Do you have any regrets?
10. What advice would you give to a young person who wants to work in this profession?